


Mae Has Two Hands

by MirrorMystic



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 07:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11436144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MirrorMystic/pseuds/MirrorMystic
Summary: Mae receives a pair of gifts from her two favorite people in the world.(Or: the reason why Mae can’t equip both the Ladybladeanda Mage Ring.)





	Mae Has Two Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy this silly little bit of fluff featuring my Echoes OT3, inspired by my own experience agonizing over whether to give Mae a Mage Ring or the Ladyblade. (I wound up giving her the Mage Ring, but, well... I think the title speaks for itself.)

~*~  
  
“Alright,” Boey said, his hands over Mae’s eyes. “No peeking.”  
  
Mae squealed, bouncing up and down in her seat.  
  
“Oooooh, I can’t wait!” Mae grinned. “Oh, okay, but fair warning: if this ‘surprise’ of Celica’s is a tickle attack, you better back up before you get hit, because I _will_ flail. I am a flailer.”  
  
“Yes, Mae,” Boey rolled his eyes with the utmost fondness. “I’m sure Milady’s deft fingertips will have you reeling, even through your breastplate.”  
  
“Ha! You said ‘breast’.”  
  
“Oh, Mae…”  
  
“I’m back!” Celica announced brightly, sauntering over to the waist-high stone fence Mae and Boey were perched upon. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I had to dig through our stores- apparently we’re up to our ears in wine that nobody ever seems to drink…”  
  
Celica trailed off with a shrug, regarding her two companions with a warm, radiant smile.  
  
“I see you have your hands full, Boey,” Celica said.  
  
“In a manner of speaking, Milady,” Boey replied.  
  
“Oh, Boey,” Celica smiled. “What will it take for you to just call me ‘Celica’?”  
  
Boey glanced up, thoughtfully. “...Some wine and candlelight?”  
  
“Celicaaaaaa!” Mae whined. “Can I _look_ now?”  
  
“Alright, alright,” Celica nodded. “Let her go, Boey.”  
  
Boey pulled his hands away from Mae’s eyes, Celica’s form appearing before her as if in a dream. Mae gasped, clapping two hands to her mouth.  
  
“Omigosh! You got me the bestest girl in the whole world?!”  
  
“Not _me_ ,” Celica laughed. “Surprise!”  
  
Celica pulled something out from behind her back- a sheathed sword, with a gilded crossguard and pommel, the grip wrapped in dyed red leather. It was a fine weapon, fine enough to give the ever-excitable Mae pause. She reverently took the sword in her hands, slowly freeing the blade from its sheath. It was warm to the touch, and glinted strangely in the light.  
  
“Oh, wow…” Mae murmured in awe. “...It’s… beautiful.”  
  
“It’s called the ‘Ladyblade’, and it’s yours,” Celica intoned. “You’re now a fully-fledged Priestess of Mila. You deserve a weapon worthy of that name. And, as a bonus…”  
  
Celica smiled, a rosy flush flickering across her cheeks. Her hand came to rest on the hilt of Beloved Zofia, sheathed at her hip.  
  
“...now, we match.”  
  
Mae squealed in delight and pounced on Celica, knocking the wind out of her with the force of her hug and their armor banging together.  
  
“I _love_ it!” Mae chirped, ecstatic. She leaned in close and bumped her nose against Celica’s, Celica coiling her arms around Mae’s waist. Mae nuzzled against her, before wriggling around in her grip so Celica was hugging her from behind. She held up her new sword, flashing Boey a proud grin.  
  
“Check it out, Boey! You jealous?”  
  
“I am.” Boey smiled. “Would that Mother Mila had granted me an aptitude with swords.”  
  
“Yeah, instead, all she gave you was that frumpy old robe.”  
  
“Don’t blaspheme, Mae,” Celica chided. “Mila gave Boey those sage’s vestments. He’s honored to wear them in her service. _I_ think he looks quite dashing.”  
  
“Thank you, Milady,” Boey smiled, “but Mae does have a point- I do rather miss my old tabard.”  
  
Mae glanced over her shoulder, meeting Celica’s eyes. She found Celica’s hand and gave her an affectionate squeeze.  
  
“You’re the best,” Mae said, with such overwhelming fondness Celica’s heart skipped a beat. “Thank you so much.”  
  
“If you’re that taken with it,” Boey said lightly, studying a fingernail, “then I suppose you don’t want _my_ gift…?”  
  
“Oooh! Gimme!” Mae reluctantly pulled herself out of Celica’s embrace and dove for Boey. Her breastplate smacked against his staff with a clatter as he warded her away, keeping her at arms’ length.  
  
“Up up up!” Boey tsked. “What’s the magic word?”  
  
“‘I’m gonna thump you’?” Mae teased.  
  
“I would have settled for ‘please’,” Boey shook his head, smiling. He reached into the sleeve of his robe and withdrew a small wooden box.  
  
“Here, Mae,” Boey said. “This is for you.”  
  
Mae blinked, curiosity overcoming her ceaseless energy. She took a moment to buckle the Ladyblade to her hip, before taking the little wooden box, clutching it in both hands. She lifted the lid-  
  
-and snapped it shut again, her cheeks growing as rosy as her hair.  
  
“B-Boey!” Mae hissed, steam practically coming out of her ears. “W-W-What are you saying?!”  
  
Boey stared at her, raising an eyebrow. “...I… I’m sorry? What do you- Oh!”  
  
The implications caught up to Boey like a slap to the face. He froze, stammering. Behind them, Celica was giggling in a decidedly un-royal fashion, her hand raised to cover her mouth.  
  
“D-Don’t get the wrong idea!” Boey said quickly. “Just… just give me your hand.”  
  
Mae meekly extended one hand, fanning herself with the other.  
  
“Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh, this is happening,” Mae bounced anxiously on her feet. “Oh, I think I’m gonna scream!” She clapped a hand over her mouth. “...or… throw up…”  
  
“Please don’t do either of those,” Boey sighed. He smiled, cheeks hot, and slid the ruby ring onto Mae’s finger, the stone shining with a radiant crimson light.  
  
“It’s a Mage Ring,” Boey explained. “It boosts the range of your spells. I had one made for you, so you can drop lightning on people’s heads from a safer distance than before. And also, well…”  
  
Boey lifted up his hand, a ruby winking on his finger.  
  
“...so we could match.”  
  
Mae’s hug almost threw Boey off his feet, she jumped at him so hard. Their eyes met, and Boey obligingly leaned forward and bonked his forehead against hers, the two of them grinning all the while.  
  
“You’re the best!” Mae squealed, bumping her nose against Boey’s. She turned and pulled Celica into the hug. “And you’re the best! You two are just, like, the best!”  
  
“Flatterer,” Celica smiled.  
  
Mae stepped away, drawing the Ladyblade with a flourish. The blade crackled with red lightning as it left the scabbard, tendrils of scarlet light flowing out of the ruby on Mae’s finger and coiling up the blade like climbing ivy.  
  
“This is great!” Mae grinned. “I feel so… _powerful_ …! Ha, those Duma Faithful better watch out! Mae’s on the way!”  
  
Runes came alight down the fuller of Mae’s sword, the scarlet light filling the air darkening into a filthy, bloody red.  
  
“Mae!” Boey called out.  
  
“Huh?” Mae glanced down at the poisonous red glow suffusing her new sword, lightning crackling in the air. She raised the blade aloft, moving as if by its own will. Mae grimaced in pain, tendrils of black and crimson gathering around her hand.  
  
“Boey? Celica?” Mae squeaked, in fear and pain. “What’s happening…?!”  
  
Mae cried out as the Ladyblade wrenched itself up into the air, yanking her arm up with it. A huge pillar of crimson energy shot into the sky, the wind screaming, whipping past her ears-  
  
-there was a thunderous bang, and Mae hit the ground, the Ladyblade falling from her grasp. Stray arcs of crimson lightning still crackled about her form.  
  
Boey and Celica were beside her in an instant, both of them pressing palmfuls of healing magic to Mae’s chest. Their fingers brushed together, and their eyes met, their mutual concern haloed by the gentle green glow of healing power.  
  
It wouldn’t be the last time she’d wake up with Celica before her and Boey behind- a fact she’d tease them about, for years to come. But in that moment, as Mae stirred from the fog of unconsciousness, Boey and Celica could feel nothing but relief.  
  
“Oh, _Mila_ ,” Mae griped, totally at odds with the somber moment. “What just happened?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Celica said, taking Mae’s hand and giving her a squeeze. “Boey?”  
  
“I can’t say for sure,” Boey shrugged. “But with two items, both imbued with powerful magic… there could have been some sort of arcane reaction. I don’t know.”  
  
“Oh, man…” Mae winced. “I’m sorry, guys. And you two were so psyched to give me these, too!”  
  
“I’m just glad you’re _safe_ ,” Celica said. She primly patted Mae’s hand… and then threw decorum aside, darting forward and wrapping Mae in a tight embrace.  
  
Mae melted into Celica’s arms, holding her close.  
  
“Take it easy, Celica. I’m okay,” Mae said gently, trailing her fingers through Celica’s hair. “I’m okay.”  
  
“Thank goodness,” Boey said behind her. He was fussing over her clothes, brushing away ash and soot. “Perhaps you ought to only carry one at a time, so as not to risk that light show again.”  
  
“What? But...” Mae blinked, glancing at the Ladyblade in the grass a little ways away, idly adjusting the Mage Ring on her finger. She swallowed.  
  
“How am I supposed to choose?”  
  
Mae looked up at Celica, then over her shoulder, at Boey, both of whom met her gaze with warm, knowing smiles. Boey looped an arm around Mae’s waist. Celica unselfconsciously curled up on Mae’s lap. And Mae sat there, caught between her two favorite people in the world, her heart fluttering with more than just magic, thinking maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't _have_ to choose, after all.  
  
~*~


End file.
